Apparatus and method for vending products

In combination with a vending machine of the type having a storage facility defining an enclosed internal cavity, a front panel through which products are vended;

• and a plurality of trays for retainably holding product containers configured in sealed geometric shapes, wherein said trays comprise:
• a) elongate generally U-shaped channels extending from a rear end toward a dispensing end;
• wherein said containers are held in ordered alignment within said channel and are dispensed from said tray through said dispensing end thereof;
• b) supports for operatively mounting said trays within said vending machine such that the dispensing ends of said trays are aligned generally within a vertical plane adjacent said front panel of the vending machine;
• and
• c) a reinforcement structure secured to said trays adjacent said dispensing ends thereof for maintaining dimensional width tolerances across the dispensing end of the tray in a manner that prevents bending distortion of the tray at said dispensing end thereof.