diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 228e2731154..d87e3d43b3d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -230,6 +230,40 @@ Where the `formats` available are:
 - `spdx-json`: A JSON report conforming to the [SPDX 2.2 JSON Schema](https://github.com/spdx/spdx-spec/blob/v2.2/schemas/spdx-schema.json).
 - `github`: A JSON report conforming to GitHub's dependency snapshot format.
 - `table`: A columnar summary (default).
+- `template`: Lets the user specify the output format. See ["Using templates"](#using-templates) below.
+
+#### Using templates
+
+Syft lets you define custom output formats, using [Go templates](https://pkg.go.dev/text/template). Here's how it works:
+
+- Define your format as a Go template, and save this template as a file.
+
+- Set the output format to "template" (`-o template`). 
+
+- Specify the path to the template file (`-t ./path/to/custom.template`).
+
+- Syft's template processing uses the same data models as the `json` output format — so if you're wondering what data is available as you author a template, you can use the output from `syft <image> -o json` as a reference.
+
+**Example:** You could make Syft output data in CSV format by writing a Go template that renders CSV data and then running `syft <image> -o template -t ~/path/to/csv.tmpl`.
+
+Here's what the `csv.tmpl` file might look like:
+```gotemplate
+"Package","Version Installed","Found by"
+{{- range .Artifacts}}
+"{{.Name}}","{{.Version}}","{{.FoundBy}}"
+{{- end}}
+```
+
+Which would produce output like:
+```text
+"Package","Version Installed","Found by"
+"alpine-baselayout","3.2.0-r20","apkdb-cataloger"
+"alpine-baselayout-data","3.2.0-r20","apkdb-cataloger"
+"alpine-keys","2.4-r1","apkdb-cataloger"
+...
+```
+
+Syft also includes a vast array of utility templating functions from [sprig](http://masterminds.github.io/sprig/) apart from the default Golang [text/template](https://pkg.go.dev/text/template#hdr-Functions) to allow users to customize the output format.
 
 #### Multiple outputs
 
diff --git a/cmd/syft/cli/convert/convert.go b/cmd/syft/cli/convert/convert.go
index 87a8d497db7..d94fc38edbb 100644
--- a/cmd/syft/cli/convert/convert.go
+++ b/cmd/syft/cli/convert/convert.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 func Run(ctx context.Context, app *config.Application, args []string) error {
 	log.Warn("convert is an experimental feature, run `syft convert -h` for help")
-	writer, err := options.MakeWriter(app.Outputs, app.File)
+	writer, err := options.MakeWriter(app.Outputs, app.File, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/syft/cli/options/packages.go b/cmd/syft/cli/options/packages.go
index 8615a249eb6..45bfea00de9 100644
--- a/cmd/syft/cli/options/packages.go
+++ b/cmd/syft/cli/options/packages.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 type PackagesOptions struct {
 	Scope                  string
 	Output                 []string
+	OutputTemplatePath     string
 	File                   string
 	Platform               string
 	Host                   string
@@ -35,6 +36,9 @@ func (o *PackagesOptions) AddFlags(cmd *cobra.Command, v *viper.Viper) error {
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringArrayVarP(&o.Output, "output", "o", FormatAliases(table.ID),
 		fmt.Sprintf("report output format, options=%v", FormatAliases(syft.FormatIDs()...)))
 
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&o.OutputTemplatePath, "template", "t", "",
+		"specify the path to a Go template file")
+
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&o.File, "file", "", "",
 		"file to write the default report output to (default is STDOUT)")
 
@@ -84,6 +88,10 @@ func bindPackageConfigOptions(flags *pflag.FlagSet, v *viper.Viper) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if err := v.BindPFlag("output-template-path", flags.Lookup("template")); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if err := v.BindPFlag("platform", flags.Lookup("platform")); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer.go b/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer.go
index d69f3abfb9d..85a704fb356 100644
--- a/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer.go
+++ b/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/table"
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/template"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft/sbom"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
@@ -12,8 +13,8 @@ import (
 
 // makeWriter creates a sbom.Writer for output or returns an error. this will either return a valid writer
 // or an error but neither both and if there is no error, sbom.Writer.Close() should be called
-func MakeWriter(outputs []string, defaultFile string) (sbom.Writer, error) {
-	outputOptions, err := parseOutputs(outputs, defaultFile)
+func MakeWriter(outputs []string, defaultFile, templateFilePath string) (sbom.Writer, error) {
+	outputOptions, err := parseOutputs(outputs, defaultFile, templateFilePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ func MakeWriter(outputs []string, defaultFile string) (sbom.Writer, error) {
 }
 
 // parseOptions utility to parse command-line option strings and retain the existing behavior of default format and file
-func parseOutputs(outputs []string, defaultFile string) (out []sbom.WriterOption, errs error) {
+func parseOutputs(outputs []string, defaultFile, templateFilePath string) (out []sbom.WriterOption, errs error) {
 	// always should have one option -- we generally get the default of "table", but just make sure
 	if len(outputs) == 0 {
 		outputs = append(outputs, string(table.ID))
@@ -56,6 +57,11 @@ func parseOutputs(outputs []string, defaultFile string) (out []sbom.WriterOption
 			continue
 		}
 
+		if tmpl, ok := format.(template.OutputFormat); ok {
+			tmpl.SetTemplatePath(templateFilePath)
+			format = tmpl
+		}
+
 		out = append(out, sbom.NewWriterOption(format, file))
 	}
 	return out, errs
diff --git a/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer_test.go b/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer_test.go
index 9e5063e8567..00e096e8fed 100644
--- a/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer_test.go
+++ b/cmd/syft/cli/options/writer_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func TestIsSupportedFormat(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
-		_, err := MakeWriter(tt.outputs, "")
+		_, err := MakeWriter(tt.outputs, "", "")
 		tt.wantErr(t, err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/syft/cli/packages.go b/cmd/syft/cli/packages.go
index 1ad4e6de34e..d9ccecded2a 100644
--- a/cmd/syft/cli/packages.go
+++ b/cmd/syft/cli/packages.go
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	packagesExample = `  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest                    a summary of discovered packages
-  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o json            show all possible cataloging details
-  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o cyclonedx       show a CycloneDX formatted SBOM
-  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o cyclonedx-json  show a CycloneDX JSON formatted SBOM
-  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o spdx            show a SPDX 2.2 Tag-Value formatted SBOM
-  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o spdx-json       show a SPDX 2.2 JSON formatted SBOM
-  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -vv                show verbose debug information
+  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o json                        show all possible cataloging details
+  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o cyclonedx                   show a CycloneDX formatted SBOM
+  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o cyclonedx-json              show a CycloneDX JSON formatted SBOM
+  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o spdx                        show a SPDX 2.2 Tag-Value formatted SBOM
+  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o spdx-json                   show a SPDX 2.2 JSON formatted SBOM
+  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -vv                            show verbose debug information
+  {{.appName}} {{.command}} alpine:latest -o template -t my_format.tmpl  show a SBOM formatted according to given template file
 
   Supports the following image sources:
     {{.appName}} {{.command}} yourrepo/yourimage:tag     defaults to using images from a Docker daemon. If Docker is not present, the image is pulled directly from the registry.
diff --git a/cmd/syft/cli/packages/packages.go b/cmd/syft/cli/packages/packages.go
index 55b7978992c..0914b186c68 100644
--- a/cmd/syft/cli/packages/packages.go
+++ b/cmd/syft/cli/packages/packages.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/anchore"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/bus"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/config"
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/template"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/log"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/ui"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/version"
@@ -25,7 +26,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 func Run(ctx context.Context, app *config.Application, args []string) error {
-	writer, err := options.MakeWriter(app.Outputs, app.File)
+	err := validateOutputOptions(app)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	writer, err := options.MakeWriter(app.Outputs, app.File, app.OutputTemplatePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -185,3 +191,19 @@ func runPackageSbomUpload(src *source.Source, s sbom.SBOM, app *config.Applicati
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func validateOutputOptions(app *config.Application) error {
+	var usesTemplateOutput bool
+	for _, o := range app.Outputs {
+		if o == template.ID.String() {
+			usesTemplateOutput = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	if usesTemplateOutput && app.OutputTemplatePath == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf(`must specify path to template file when using "template" output format`)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/syft/cli/poweruser.go b/cmd/syft/cli/poweruser.go
index 1ca95e99a56..65d4cc6bffc 100644
--- a/cmd/syft/cli/poweruser.go
+++ b/cmd/syft/cli/poweruser.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 const powerUserExample = `  {{.appName}} {{.command}} <image>
   DEPRECATED - THIS COMMAND WILL BE REMOVED in v1.0.0
-  Only image sources are supported (e.g. docker: , podman: , docker-archive: , oci: , etc.), the directory source (dir:) is not supported.
+  Only image sources are supported (e.g. docker: , podman: , docker-archive: , oci: , etc.), the directory source (dir:) is not supported, template outputs are not supported.
   All behavior is controlled via application configuration and environment variables (see https://github.com/anchore/syft#configuration)
 `
 
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index b46276cd324..4da1ddfcace 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ require (
 )
 
 require (
+	github.com/Masterminds/sprig/v3 v3.2.2
 	github.com/docker/docker v20.10.12+incompatible
 	github.com/google/go-containerregistry v0.8.1-0.20220209165246-a44adc326839
 	github.com/in-toto/in-toto-golang v0.3.4-0.20211211042327-af1f9fb822bf
@@ -79,6 +80,8 @@ require (
 	github.com/Azure/go-autorest/autorest/date v0.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/Azure/go-autorest/logger v0.2.1 // indirect
 	github.com/Azure/go-autorest/tracing v0.6.0 // indirect
+	github.com/Masterminds/goutils v1.1.1 // indirect
+	github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3 v3.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/Microsoft/go-winio v0.5.2 // indirect
 	github.com/PaesslerAG/gval v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/PaesslerAG/jsonpath v0.1.1 // indirect
@@ -175,6 +178,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/hashicorp/go-retryablehttp v0.7.1 // indirect
 	github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru v0.5.4 // indirect
 	github.com/hashicorp/hcl v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/huandu/xstrings v1.3.2 // indirect
 	github.com/iancoleman/orderedmap v0.0.0-20190318233801-ac98e3ecb4b0 // indirect
 	github.com/imdario/mergo v0.3.12 // indirect
 	github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0 // indirect
@@ -197,6 +201,8 @@ require (
 	github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.13 // indirect
 	github.com/matttproud/golang_protobuf_extensions v1.0.2-0.20181231171920-c182affec369 // indirect
 	github.com/miekg/pkcs11 v1.1.1 // indirect
+	github.com/mitchellh/copystructure v1.2.0 // indirect
+	github.com/mitchellh/reflectwalk v1.0.2 // indirect
 	github.com/modern-go/concurrent v0.0.0-20180306012644-bacd9c7ef1dd // indirect
 	github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v1.0.2 // indirect
 	github.com/nwaples/rardecode v1.1.0 // indirect
@@ -218,6 +224,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/secure-systems-lab/go-securesystemslib v0.4.0 // indirect
 	github.com/segmentio/ksuid v1.0.4 // indirect
 	github.com/shibumi/go-pathspec v1.3.0 // indirect
+	github.com/shopspring/decimal v1.2.0 // indirect
 	github.com/sigstore/fulcio v0.1.2-0.20220114150912-86a2036f9bc7 // indirect
 	github.com/skratchdot/open-golang v0.0.0-20200116055534-eef842397966 // indirect
 	github.com/soheilhy/cmux v0.1.5 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 0631ee68336..73b43c3efe4 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -186,14 +186,17 @@ github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloudsql-proxy v0.0.0-20191009163259-e802c2cb94ae
 github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloudsql-proxy v1.27.0/go.mod h1:bn9iHmAjogMoIPkqBGyJ9R1m9cXGCjBE/cuhBs3oEsQ=
 github.com/Knetic/govaluate v3.0.1-0.20171022003610-9aa49832a739+incompatible/go.mod h1:r7JcOSlj0wfOMncg0iLm8Leh48TZaKVeNIfJntJ2wa0=
 github.com/Masterminds/goutils v1.1.0/go.mod h1:8cTjp+g8YejhMuvIA5y2vz3BpJxksy863GQaJW2MFNU=
+github.com/Masterminds/goutils v1.1.1 h1:5nUrii3FMTL5diU80unEVvNevw1nH4+ZV4DSLVJLSYI=
 github.com/Masterminds/goutils v1.1.1/go.mod h1:8cTjp+g8YejhMuvIA5y2vz3BpJxksy863GQaJW2MFNU=
 github.com/Masterminds/semver v1.4.2/go.mod h1:MB6lktGJrhw8PrUyiEoblNEGEQ+RzHPF078ddwwvV3Y=
 github.com/Masterminds/semver v1.5.0/go.mod h1:MB6lktGJrhw8PrUyiEoblNEGEQ+RzHPF078ddwwvV3Y=
 github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3 v3.0.3/go.mod h1:VPu/7SZ7ePZ3QOrcuXROw5FAcLl4a0cBrbBpGY/8hQs=
 github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3 v3.1.0/go.mod h1:VPu/7SZ7ePZ3QOrcuXROw5FAcLl4a0cBrbBpGY/8hQs=
+github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3 v3.1.1 h1:hLg3sBzpNErnxhQtUy/mmLR2I9foDujNK030IGemrRc=
 github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3 v3.1.1/go.mod h1:VPu/7SZ7ePZ3QOrcuXROw5FAcLl4a0cBrbBpGY/8hQs=
 github.com/Masterminds/sprig v2.15.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:y6hNFY5UBTIWBxnzTeuNhlNS5hqE0NB0E6fgfo2Br3o=
 github.com/Masterminds/sprig v2.22.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:y6hNFY5UBTIWBxnzTeuNhlNS5hqE0NB0E6fgfo2Br3o=
+github.com/Masterminds/sprig/v3 v3.2.2 h1:17jRggJu518dr3QaafizSXOjKYp94wKfABxUmyxvxX8=
 github.com/Masterminds/sprig/v3 v3.2.2/go.mod h1:UoaO7Yp8KlPnJIYWTFkMaqPUYKTfGFPhxNuwnnxkKlk=
 github.com/Microsoft/go-winio v0.4.11/go.mod h1:VhR8bwka0BXejwEJY73c50VrPtXAaKcyvVC4A4RozmA=
 github.com/Microsoft/go-winio v0.4.14/go.mod h1:qXqCSQ3Xa7+6tgxaGTIe4Kpcdsi+P8jBhyzoq1bpyYA=
@@ -1302,6 +1305,7 @@ github.com/hpcloud/tail v1.0.0/go.mod h1:ab1qPbhIpdTxEkNHXyeSf5vhxWSCs/tWer42PpO
 github.com/huandu/xstrings v1.0.0/go.mod h1:4qWG/gcEcfX4z/mBDHJ++3ReCw9ibxbsNJbcucJdbSo=
 github.com/huandu/xstrings v1.2.0/go.mod h1:DvyZB1rfVYsBIigL8HwpZgxHwXozlTgGqn63UyNX5k4=
 github.com/huandu/xstrings v1.3.1/go.mod h1:y5/lhBue+AyNmUVz9RLU9xbLR0o4KIIExikq4ovT0aE=
+github.com/huandu/xstrings v1.3.2 h1:L18LIDzqlW6xN2rEkpdV8+oL/IXWJ1APd+vsdYy4Wdw=
 github.com/huandu/xstrings v1.3.2/go.mod h1:y5/lhBue+AyNmUVz9RLU9xbLR0o4KIIExikq4ovT0aE=
 github.com/hudl/fargo v1.3.0/go.mod h1:y3CKSmjA+wD2gak7sUSXTAoopbhU08POFhmITJgmKTg=
 github.com/iancoleman/orderedmap v0.0.0-20190318233801-ac98e3ecb4b0 h1:i462o439ZjprVSFSZLZxcsoAe592sZB1rci2Z8j4wdk=
@@ -1856,6 +1860,7 @@ github.com/shazow/go-diff v0.0.0-20160112020656-b6b7b6733b8c/go.mod h1:/PevMnwAx
 github.com/shibumi/go-pathspec v1.3.0 h1:QUyMZhFo0Md5B8zV8x2tesohbb5kfbpTi9rBnKh5dkI=
 github.com/shibumi/go-pathspec v1.3.0/go.mod h1:Xutfslp817l2I1cZvgcfeMQJG5QnU2lh5tVaaMCl3jE=
 github.com/shirou/gopsutil/v3 v3.21.10/go.mod h1:t75NhzCZ/dYyPQjyQmrAYP6c8+LCdFANeBMdLPCNnew=
+github.com/shopspring/decimal v1.2.0 h1:abSATXmQEYyShuxI4/vyW3tV1MrKAJzCZ/0zLUXYbsQ=
 github.com/shopspring/decimal v1.2.0/go.mod h1:DKyhrW/HYNuLGql+MJL6WCR6knT2jwCFRcu2hWCYk4o=
 github.com/shurcooL/go v0.0.0-20180423040247-9e1955d9fb6e/go.mod h1:TDJrrUr11Vxrven61rcy3hJMUqaf/CLWYhHNPmT14Lk=
 github.com/shurcooL/go-goon v0.0.0-20170922171312-37c2f522c041/go.mod h1:N5mDOmsrJOB+vfqUK+7DmDyjhSLIIBnXo9lvZJj3MWQ=
diff --git a/internal/config/application.go b/internal/config/application.go
index 80573c72d69..ecb869c47db 100644
--- a/internal/config/application.go
+++ b/internal/config/application.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ type Application struct {
 	// -q, indicates to not show any status output to stderr (ETUI or logging UI)
 	Quiet              bool               `yaml:"quiet" json:"quiet" mapstructure:"quiet"`
 	Outputs            []string           `yaml:"output" json:"output" mapstructure:"output"`                                           // -o, the format to use for output
+	OutputTemplatePath string             `yaml:"output-template-path" json:"output-template-path" mapstructure:"output-template-path"` // -t template file to use for output
 	File               string             `yaml:"file" json:"file" mapstructure:"file"`                                                 // --file, the file to write report output to
 	CheckForAppUpdate  bool               `yaml:"check-for-app-update" json:"check-for-app-update" mapstructure:"check-for-app-update"` // whether to check for an application update on start up or not
 	Anchore            anchore            `yaml:"anchore" json:"anchore" mapstructure:"anchore"`                                        // options for interacting with Anchore Engine/Enterprise
diff --git a/internal/formats/template/encoder.go b/internal/formats/template/encoder.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8ef95b73a7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/formats/template/encoder.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package template
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"reflect"
+	"text/template"
+
+	"github.com/Masterminds/sprig/v3"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir"
+)
+
+func makeTemplateExecutor(templateFilePath string) (*template.Template, error) {
+	if templateFilePath == "" {
+		return nil, errors.New("no template file: please provide a template path")
+	}
+
+	expandedPathToTemplateFile, err := homedir.Expand(templateFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to expand path %s", templateFilePath)
+	}
+
+	templateContents, err := os.ReadFile(expandedPathToTemplateFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to get template content: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	templateName := expandedPathToTemplateFile
+	tmpl, err := template.New(templateName).Funcs(funcMap).Parse(string(templateContents))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse template: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return tmpl, nil
+}
+
+// These are custom functions available to template authors.
+var funcMap = func() template.FuncMap {
+	f := sprig.HermeticTxtFuncMap()
+	f["getLastIndex"] = func(collection interface{}) int {
+		if v := reflect.ValueOf(collection); v.Kind() == reflect.Slice {
+			return v.Len() - 1
+		}
+
+		return 0
+	}
+	return f
+}()
diff --git a/internal/formats/template/encoder_test.go b/internal/formats/template/encoder_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..950d4f91460
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/formats/template/encoder_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package template
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/common/testutils"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+var updateTmpl = flag.Bool("update-tmpl", false, "update the *.golden files for json encoders")
+
+func TestFormatWithOption(t *testing.T) {
+	f := OutputFormat{}
+	f.SetTemplatePath("test-fixtures/csv.template")
+
+	testutils.AssertEncoderAgainstGoldenSnapshot(t,
+		f,
+		testutils.DirectoryInput(t),
+		*updateTmpl,
+	)
+
+}
+
+func TestFormatWithoutOptions(t *testing.T) {
+	f := Format()
+	err := f.Encode(nil, testutils.DirectoryInput(t))
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "no template file: please provide a template path")
+}
diff --git a/internal/formats/template/format.go b/internal/formats/template/format.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4b8f28a5ed1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/formats/template/format.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package template
+
+import (
+	"io"
+
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/syftjson"
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft/sbom"
+)
+
+const ID sbom.FormatID = "template"
+
+func Format() sbom.Format {
+	return OutputFormat{}
+}
+
+// implementation of sbom.Format interface
+// to make use of format options
+type OutputFormat struct {
+	templateFilePath string
+}
+
+func (f OutputFormat) ID() sbom.FormatID {
+	return ID
+}
+
+func (f OutputFormat) Decode(reader io.Reader) (*sbom.SBOM, error) {
+	return nil, sbom.ErrDecodingNotSupported
+}
+
+func (f OutputFormat) Encode(output io.Writer, s sbom.SBOM) error {
+	tmpl, err := makeTemplateExecutor(f.templateFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	doc := syftjson.ToFormatModel(s)
+	return tmpl.Execute(output, doc)
+}
+
+func (f OutputFormat) Validate(reader io.Reader) error {
+	return sbom.ErrValidationNotSupported
+}
+
+// SetTemplatePath sets path for template file
+func (f *OutputFormat) SetTemplatePath(filePath string) {
+	f.templateFilePath = filePath
+}
diff --git a/internal/formats/template/test-fixtures/csv.template b/internal/formats/template/test-fixtures/csv.template
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8474271adb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/formats/template/test-fixtures/csv.template
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+"Package","Version Installed", "Found by"
+{{- range .Artifacts}}
+"{{.Name}}","{{.Version}}","{{.FoundBy}}"
+{{- end}}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/formats/template/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestFormatWithOption.golden b/internal/formats/template/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestFormatWithOption.golden
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a7bc3b7d3ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/formats/template/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestFormatWithOption.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+"Package","Version Installed", "Found by"
+"package-1","1.0.1","the-cataloger-1"
+"package-2","2.0.1","the-cataloger-2"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/syft/formats.go b/syft/formats.go
index 061f191f15a..f3433a48e01 100644
--- a/syft/formats.go
+++ b/syft/formats.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/spdx22tagvalue"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/syftjson"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/table"
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/template"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/text"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft/sbom"
 )
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ const (
 	GitHubID              = github.ID
 	SPDXTagValueFormatID  = spdx22tagvalue.ID
 	SPDXJSONFormatID      = spdx22json.ID
+	TemplateFormatID      = template.ID
 )
 
 var formats []sbom.Format
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ func init() {
 		spdx22json.Format(),
 		table.Format(),
 		text.Format(),
+		template.Format(),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -84,6 +87,8 @@ func FormatByName(name string) sbom.Format {
 		return FormatByID(table.ID)
 	case "text":
 		return FormatByID(text.ID)
+	case "template":
+		FormatByID(template.ID)
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/syft/formats_test.go b/syft/formats_test.go
index 94e78bdb406..9596abd6ba5 100644
--- a/syft/formats_test.go
+++ b/syft/formats_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/spdx22tagvalue"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/syftjson"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/table"
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/template"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/text"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft/sbom"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -181,6 +182,11 @@ func TestFormatByName(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "github-json",
 			want: github.ID,
 		},
+
+		{
+			name: "template",
+			want: template.ID,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/test/cli/all_formats_expressible_test.go b/test/cli/all_formats_expressible_test.go
index b769aaac5ee..a48639d765f 100644
--- a/test/cli/all_formats_expressible_test.go
+++ b/test/cli/all_formats_expressible_test.go
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/template"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft"
 )
 
@@ -23,7 +25,12 @@ func TestAllFormatsExpressible(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotEmpty(t, formats)
 	for _, o := range formats {
 		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("format:%s", o), func(t *testing.T) {
-			cmd, stdout, stderr := runSyft(t, nil, "dir:./test-fixtures/image-pkg-coverage", "-o", string(o))
+			args := []string{"dir:./test-fixtures/image-pkg-coverage", "-o", string(o)}
+			if o == template.ID {
+				args = append(args, "-t", "test-fixtures/csv.template")
+			}
+
+			cmd, stdout, stderr := runSyft(t, nil, args...)
 			for _, traitFn := range commonAssertions {
 				traitFn(t, stdout, stderr, cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode())
 			}
diff --git a/test/cli/test-fixtures/csv.template b/test/cli/test-fixtures/csv.template
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8474271adb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/test-fixtures/csv.template
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+"Package","Version Installed", "Found by"
+{{- range .Artifacts}}
+"{{.Name}}","{{.Version}}","{{.FoundBy}}"
+{{- end}}
\ No newline at end of file