The Global Cassava Strategy initiative identified weak markets for cassava products as a bottleneck limiting the capacity of the crop to help farmers out of poverty. Identifying or creating genetic variability to make cassava better suited to meet the needs of different industries could help overcoming this bottleneck. This article summarizes the results from traditional approaches (breeding, screening germplasm collections, inbreeding to expose recessive traits, mutagenesis and inter-specific crosses). Significant progress has been attained for different traits recently: 1) Tolerance to post-harvest physiological deterioration was introgressed from Manihot wakerae and perhaps found in mutagenized populations. This trait will drastically reduce the marketing costs of cassava; 2) Commercially relevant starch mutations (amylose-free and small-granule/high-amylose) have been identified through inbreeding and induction of mutations. These traits are relevant for the starch and bio-ethanol industries; 3) A group of cassava clones from the germplasm collection, with 2- 3 times higher levels of proteins in the roots, has been identified. This is relevant for the feed industry and, obviously, to improve nutritional status of human populations; 4) Rapidcycling recurrent selection has doubled the maximum level of [bêta]-carotene in cassava roots. This is important for human nutrition; for the feed industry and as example of cassava's capacity to respond to proper breeding approaches. High-value cassava is, therefore, no longer a dream but a reality that will have a positive impact not only in the livelihood of cassava farmers but in the scientific community: cassava offers a wealth of professional opportunities to young scientists.