diff --git a/tern/formats/json/consumer.py b/tern/formats/json/consumer.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9bc5d83c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/json/consumer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2021 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+
+"""
+JSON document generator
+"""
+
+import json
+import logging
+import os
+
+from tern.classes.image_layer import ImageLayer
+from tern.classes.package import Package
+from tern.classes.file_data import FileData
+from tern.formats import consumer
+from tern.utils import constants
+
+# global logger
+logger = logging.getLogger(constants.logger_name)
+
+
+class ConsumerError(Exception):
+    """Exception raised if a critical error has occured"""
+
+
+def create_image_layer(report):
+    """Given a report file, create an ImageLayer object with the metadata"""
+    # expect a json input, raise an error if it is not
+    content = {}
+    try:
+        f = open(os.path.abspath(report))
+        content = json.load(f)
+    except OSError as err:
+        logger.critical("Cannot access file %s: %s", report, err)
+        raise ConsumerError(f"Error with given report file: {report}")
+    except json.JSONDecodeError as err:
+        logger.critical("Cannot parse JSON in file %s: %s", report, err)
+        raise ConsumerError(f"Error with given report file: {report}")
+    # we should have some content but it may be empty
+    if not content:
+        raise ConsumerError("No content consumed from given report file")
+    # instantiate a layer and fill it
+    layer = ImageLayer("")
+    try:
+        layer.os_guess = content['os_guess']
+        for pkg in content['packages']:
+            pkg_obj = Package(pkg['name'])
+            pkg_obj.fill(pkg)
+            layer.add_package(pkg_obj)
+        for filedict in content['files']:
+            file_obj = FileData(filedict['name'], filedict['path'])
+            file_obj.fill(filedict)
+            layer.add_file(file_obj)
+        return layer
+    except ValueError as err:
+        logger.critical("Cannot find required data in report: %s", err)
+        return None
+
+
+class JSON(consumer.Consume):
+    def consume_layer(self, reports):
+        """Given a list json report files, created by the json generator,
+        create a corresponding list of image layer objects. We assume the
+        layers are ordered in the order or report files"""
+        layer_list = []
+        layer_count = 1
+        for report in reports:
+            layer = create_image_layer(report)
+            layer.layer_index = layer_count
+            layer_list.append(layer)
+            layer += 1
+        return layer_list