The Return of “Grandma Hobbies” & Why It’s a Huge Consumer Opportunity
As investors, we look for early cultural signals that can ultimately influence consumer demand. Right now, one of the most underestimated drivers of spending power is the resurgence of so-called “grandma hobbies” - gardening, baking, knitting, and other tactile, time-intensive pastimes.
This behavior shift is driven by screen fatigue and a renewed desire for offline, purpose-driven leisure. Millennials and Gen Z are leading this renaissance, turning to hobbies that deliver mental presence, physical engagement, and visible results.
The numbers speak for themselves: the U.S. gardening market is projected to grow from $120B in 2024 to $150B by 2030; Google searches for sourdough remain 50% higher than pre-pandemic; Etsy has seen a 47% YoY jump in knitting supply searches; and Pinterest reports pottery wheel searches up 80% YoY. The shift is quietly rewriting the playbook for brands in home, garden, food, and craft categories, and creating fertile ground for new category leaders.
Why Now? The Quest for Offline Mindfulness
According to a recent report, screen time among U.S. adults has surged past 7 hours a day, and many feel burnout, anxiety, and decreased well-being as a result. Ironically, as tech usage climbs, so does the desire to disengage from it. Hobbyism that demands both mental focus and calm, like tending to plants or slowly shaping dough, is increasingly viewed as restorative, therapeutic, and meaningful.
Where the Dollars Are Flowing
This trend is reshaping consumer spending in multiple verticals:
Gardening & Outdoor Living: Legacy brands like Scott’s Miracle-Gro are seeing fresh competition from sustainability-led players such as Rosy Soil, which blends performance and climate benefits to meet modern consumer values.
Home Cooking & Baking: Premium cookware, artisanal ingredients, and recipe-driven media platforms are benefiting from the sourdough-and-skillet revival. The U.S. home cooking market is expected to hit $21.3B by 2027.
Crafts & DIY: Knitting kits, pottery wheels, and small-batch craft supplies are experiencing double-digit growth as consumers seek both a skill and a keepsake.
What This Means for Consumer Brands and Investors
Category disruption: Brands that can modernize traditional hobby spaces by blending heritage (think “Grandma’s recipe,” or “Old-world weaving”) with contemporary ease and design stand to win both hearts and wallets.
DTC + retail synergy: Communities formed on platforms like TikTok or Instagram translate seamlessly into physical commerce—whether that’s specialty yarn stores, seed suppliers, or premium soil brands.
Omnichannel storytelling: Consumers want content that teaches, inspires, and emotionally connects. Cross-pollinate your product pages with how-to videos, influencer features, and micro-class experiences.
The resurgence of “grandma hobbies” is a durable shift in consumer behavior with the potential to mint category leaders. The winners will combine cultural relevance, brand-led community, and operational excellence to meet this rising demand for analog joy.
At Rodeo Growth Partners, we see this as an opportunity to back brands that don’t just sell products, but enable rituals, slow us down, and provide joy away from the scroll.
