With financial assistance from the Irish embassy and the embassy of the kingdom of The Netherlands, SNV supports since 2007 fruit marketing cooperatives in Southern Ethiopia. SNV strengthens the cooperatives through facilitating business to business arrangements, business planning and improved operational management, and access to critical services. Results of the support to two fruit cooperatives with a focus on respectively mango and highland fruits are described. Both cooperatives had established business arrangements and demonstrated higher revenues. Transaction risks and related costs are expected to have been reduced due to shortening the value chain, information on alternative markets and increased control of the cooperatives over services like inputs, extension and transport. Within one year a minimum total income increases in the case of the mango cooperative is 9,200$ and in case of the highland fruit cooperative 55,625$ involving respectively 207 and 600 farmers. 96% of the total SNV cost (including SNV advisory cost) was being recovered in just over one year. The example shows that even with perennial crops like fruits, quick wins can be made, if the right interventions are selected. Since further improvements within the business relations and fruit quality have been made in 2009 and 2010 with limited additional SNV support, the future looks bright for the small fruit farmers in Southern Ethiopia.