Vanillin is one of the most important edible flavors with the fragrance of vanilla and milk.   It is an indispensable and important raw material in food additive industry and is widely used in food, sweets, candy, ice cream, drinks and cosmetics as fragrance enhancer and fixative.  It is also used as feed additive, pharmaceutical intermediate and as brightener in electroplating industry.

The largest use of vanillin is as a flavoring, usually in sweet foods. The ice cream and chocolate industries together comprise 75% of the market for vanillin as a flavoring, with smaller amounts being used in confections and baked goods.

Vanillin is also used in the fragrance industry, in perfumes, and to mask unpleasant odors or tastes in medicines, livestock fodder, and cleaning products. It is also used in the flavor industry, as a very important key note for many different flavors, especially creamy profiles.