A composite tobacco stream which contains different types of tobacco is formed by converting fibrous material of a first type into a first succession of discrete batches and by converting fibrous material of a second type into a second succession of discrete batches. The two types of batches are thereupon shuffled in such a way that the resulting stream contains alternating batches consisting of first and second fibrous materials. The stream is equalized, draped into a web of cigarette paper and subdivided into cigarettes of unit length or multiple unit length. The shuffling step can be carried out on a rotating wheel-shaped conveyor or on a foraminous belt conveyor.