A unit which serves to fill trays with surplus cigarettes adjacent the path of movement of a mass flow of cigarettes from a maker to a processing machine is disposed at a level beneath a unit which empties the contents of filled trays into the mass flow when the requirements of the processing machine exceed the output of the maker. Each unit stores empty trays at an upper level and filled trays at a lower level. The two units are adjacent a device which serves to transfer trays between the storeys as well as between the two units on the one hand and a reservoir for additional empty and filled trays on the other hand. The tray transferring device has two superimpoosed tray holders which are indexible by a turret about a vertical axis, which can be turned about a second axis relative to the turret, which can be moved up and down along the turret, and which can be tilted relative to horizontal axes to change the inclination of trays and to thus prevent stacked cigarettes from falling out of filled trays during transport of such trays with the respective holders.