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 flavor industry, as a very important key note for many different flavors, especially creamy profiles.
Vanillin has been used as a chemical intermediate in the production of pharmaceuticals and other fine chemicals.