Alright Stop, Collaborate and Listen: Vanillin not Vanilla

In the modern lexicon, “vanilla” has the connotation of bland, generic, or ordinary. However, when vanilla flavoring and fragrance exploded onto the global stage in the mid-twentieth century due to advances in cultivation, it was rare and exotic. As soon as natural vanilla was introduced, supply could not keep pace with demand. However, during this same period, the chemical industry developed into a more modern, synthetic based industry, opening the door to a new era of easier to obtain and cheaper flavors and fragrances.1 This working paper will provide an overview of the vanilla, and by consequence the vanillin, industry. Beginning with an introduction to vanilla, followed by a discussion of the advent of the synthetic vanilla flavoring, the paper will highlight the broader challenges within the natural and synthetic vanillin markets, including growing demand from U.S. consumers for “natural” products and the ability of the industry to meet such demands.